Movie Segments to Assess Grammar Goals contains a series of movie segments and activities to assess or practice grammar points through fun, challenging exercises. Here you will find the movie segments, the lesson plans, printable worksheets with answer key for each activity, and the tips to develop your own grammar activities with the DVDs you have at home. New activities are posted regularly. Teaching grammar with movie segments is inspiring and highly motivating.

Jul 25, 2010

I have just returned from the 12th Braz Tesol in São Paulo. I had a great time there and attended some very interesting presentations. I met old friends, peers, presenters, people who make a difference. I believe the workshops I presented there worked just fine and the audience was very receptive. In 2012, try joining the conference. I'm sure you will enjoy it. By the way, it will be in Rio!!! If you were in São Paulo at this Braz Tesol, give your opinion about it here, please.

If you have never seen this movie, run to the next dvd store and don't hesitate renting it. I love the unexpected ending. This scene is great to practice past modals, but this time answering questions with the target grammar goal.

A. Watch the movie segment and answer the questions using past modals for speculation.

1. The little girl prayed in front of a church. What must/might she have asked for in her prayers?

.................................................................

2. What might have happened after her prayers that made her smile?

.................................................................

3. What might the soldiers have seen in the sky?

..................................................................

4. What might have happened after that scene?

..................................................................

B. Now watch the second segment, which explains what actually happened.
Check whether your guesses were right. Then discuss the questions that follow.

1. What actually happened?

2. Do you believe in miracles? Why (not)?

3. What could have been a possible explanation for the happening?

4. Do you believe this is a true story? Why (not)?

5. Have you ever heard of a miracle you believed actually happened? Tell us about it.

Jul 18, 2010

This is a classic. One of my all times favorite. This film talks about immortality and aging. I love it. I used this scene to practice the use of for and since in present perfect sentences. I hope you like it.

A. Before viewing the segment, discuss the following questions with a partner.

1. Are you afraid of aging? Why (not)?

2. Would you rather die extremely old or not that old? Explain it.

3. Would you make use of cosmetic surgeries to look young forever? Why?

4. Do you think that life gets better as you get older? Explain it.

B. Watch the segment now and fill in the blanks with since or for.

1. Some liver spots have appeared on his skin ............................ yesterday.
2. He has been aging fast ....................................the last 24 hours.

3. The Doctor has asked him to wait .....................................15 minutes.

4. He has lost a lot of hair .......................................... he started waiting for the doctor.

5. He has been waiting for the doctor ...................................... 2:35 pm.

6. He has been waiting .............................................. 2 hours and the doctor still hasn't seen him.

C. Now work with a partner. Make a list of everything you can remember that has changed in his appearance during the couple of hours he has been waiting for the doctor.

Jul 11, 2010

Not many people had the chance to see this under rated movie. I like it a lot and this scene is just perfect to talk about the use of modal verb CAN, for ability.

A. Ask a partner if he/she can do the following activities.

Model:

S1: Can you...?
S2: Yes, I can / No, I can't

1.Play a musical instrument?

2. Practice karate?

3.Turn somersaults?

4. Skate?

5. Play badminton?

6. Play table tennis?

7. Juggle with balls?

8. Juggle with chainsaws?

9. Jet ski?

10. Mix music at parties?

11. Make origami?

12. Speak Chinese?

B. Now watch the movie segment and write sentences about the main characters. Use the activities in the previous exercise and use can or can't. She sees people doing what she likes, so she buys books and learns how to do it. What can and can't she do now?

1. Ex. She can play the piano, the violin, the harmonica, the guitar and the banjo.
2.......................................................................
3.......................................................................
4.......................................................................

Jul 4, 2010

This is a touching movie that makes you reflect upon your life. It is excellent. I used this moving scene to practice conditionals with mixed time frames. It is clear enough fo the students to realize the difference between present and past results in conditionals.

A. Watch the movie segment and read the sentences below. They describe what happened in the segment. Then fill in the blanks with the correct verb tense of the verb in parentheses. Pay attention to whether the consequences have a past or present result and if you will use affirmative or negative forms to make sense. These are hypothetical situations with different mixed time frames.

1.
The doctor operated on the patient.
She had to give the family the bad news.

If the doctor ____________ ( operate) on the patient, she ____________ (have) to give the family the bad news.

2.
The family didn't expect to lose him on the operating table.
They are suffering a lot now.

If the family __________ (expect) to lose him on the operating table, they __________ (be) suffering so much now.

3.
The doctor had to give the family the bad news.
She fell apart.

If the doctor __________ (have) to give the family such bad news, She _________ (fall) apart.

4.
She didn't massage the patient long enough.
She regrets it now.

If she _______________ (massage) the patient longer, she _________ (regret) it now.

5.
She couldn't see an angel comforting her.
She didn't have the chance to open up her heart to him.

If she _____________ (see) an angel comforting her, she __________ (had) the chance to open up her heart to him.

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Movie Segments for Warm-ups and Follow-ups

A little about myself

I'm a teacher at Casa Thomas Jefferson, Brasilia, Brazil. I'm a Branch Coordinator and Teacher Trainer as well. I really like movies and seeing them with "different" eyes, trying to see how I can use them in my classroom. Recently, I have dedicated my ideas to grammar activities with movie segments because, apparently, teachers use movies for many purposes, but grammar. Working with movie segments fosters students' production and interest. I truly believe that grammar exercises should be attractive. I have just developed a new blog for movie segments to enhance topic based classes, focusing on conversation, listening comprehension and vocabulary acquisition. If you have suggestions for the blogs and the activities, just say it!